The present invention relates to an apparatus for printing video color signals by a method of the consecutive placing of three colors of Yellow (Y), Magenta (M) and Cyan (C), and more particularly to the apparatus for printing three video color signals exactly on a record paper with high quality picture by enabling a drum along with a paper holder unitedly or separately to rotate and to move upward and downward in perpendicular to an axis of the clutch and drum.
Generally a video color printer adopts a heat conduction sublimation method for printing all colors and making a tonal expression freely. The video color printer performs a full color printing by rotating a record paper with a color ribbon applied with three colors of Y, M and C. An amount of dyes of Y, M and C to be sublimated in printing is controlled by a heating value from a thermal printing head (T.P.H.).
With reference to FIG. 1, the video printer includes an ink ribbon 1 applied consecutively with three colors of Y, M and C, and the T.P.H. 4 for pressing a record paper 3 fixed on and rotating along with a platen drum 2 selectively. By rotating the platen drum 2 along with the record paper 3 fixed on its surface, the record paper 3 and the ink ribbon are advanced at the same speed as that of the platen drum 2. Each dye of Y, M and C on the ink ribbon 1 is consecutively sublimated by a heat generated from the T.P.H. 4 and is absorbed into the record paper 3. Because a synthesized color is varied according to an amount of each absorbed color of Y, M and C, it is possible to print all colors.
Accordingly because the platen drum 2 is rotated by three revolutions for a print-completion, an apparatus for fixing the record paper on the platen drum, is required. There is disclosed such an apparatus as shown in FIG. 2.
The paper holder 5 is installed over a side wall of a drum 2 and set by a tension spring 6. While the drum 2 rotates about the hinge 7, the paper holder 5 moves apart: from the drum 2 and presses the drum 2 by an operation of a slider 8, so that the paper holder 5 can grip the record paper 3 supplied from a paper cartridge, and the drum 2 with the paper 3 fixed by the paper holder 5 can rotate anti-clockwise to perform a printing operation.
After completing the printing of three colors of Y, M and C by three revolutions of the drum 2, the platen drum 2 rotates clockwise so as to move an end tip of the record paper to a paper discharging cartridge and the paper holder releases the printed paper by the slider 8.
Consequently it requires more time and a sophisticated mechanism for the conventional device in order to rotate the drum in both directions to complete the printing of three colors of Y, M and C.